- 4 -

When trying to save the life of an injured man every second matters. That's why when the group cleared the edge of the forest, they decided Gregor should run ahead. Without the group to slow him, and with the assistance of some blood, he could reach the town in a few minutes. He would only need to ring the bell in the town square. It would draw the villagers out of their homes. The injured men would continue at their pace and Gregor would bring back help from the village. The plan was to buy minutes and pray it was enough.

Gregor flipped open his little box of vials. The glass shined as Andor moved a torch closer. Gregor nodded his thanks sorting through the blood. He rolled each one until the label was visible, checked it, then moved to the next. When he reached a vial labeled 'Pard' he stopped, downed the contents, then flicked the vial to the ground. Glass shattered.

As he licked the last of the blood from his lips he felt the effects take hold. The muscles in his legs twitched and bulged. He dug his foot into the hard winter ground as if it was fresh mud. With a deep breath, he steeled himself. A light push from his planted foot was enough to send him rocketing forward. He stumbled a bit on the landing but managed to correct himself with another strong kick of his leg. In a few strides, he had adapted to the new state of his body. Nothing like the first time, when he had spent half the duration trying to control the effects. Experience lowered the adjustment period, even if it could never eliminate it entirely.

Gregor rushed forward, each stride a great leap. He turned two miles of fields into a matter of a couple of minutes. Once he reached the first building the distance to the square was trivial, then he could ring the bell. The village doctor promised to stay up for the night and several of the village women knew first aid. They could save those men; save Vicar Edwin.

Except, the bell was already ringing. But why? Gregor's blood ran cold. He steadied his hand on his weapon and jumped up onto the roof of a nearby home. Something had gone wrong. The youkai had left the forest and attacked the village while all the hunters were away. That must be why the bell is being sounded, it's an alarm. It was his worst-case scenario, but he lacked imagination.

Gregor leapt from rooftop to rooftop until the town square was in view. There he found the vicar's son, Joshua, naked as the day he was born, hammering at the bell with his fist. The women of the village had begun to shuffle from their homes and run to the boy's side. There was an attempt to calm him but he was inconsolable. Gregor listened in. The women's words evaporated into the night but Joshua's shouting came through loud and clear.

"Monster, Youkai! Lilith! She attacked me! The hunter's daughter, Lilith."

Gregor felt ill. The seeds of his sin had finally sprouted and born fruit. He drove his axe into the roof in frustration. The tile gave way with a loud crack that drew the attention of a few of the women in the square. Gregor slid back behind the crest of the roof and hid.

"Calm down," he told himself. He took in a deep breath and held it, counting to ten. When his heartbeat fell back to a normal pace he started to plan. He knew it was over for him now, he only had one real option and at best half the time he needed, but he would still try. For Lilith's sake.

Gregor pulled his axe free, then dropped from the rooftop. Careful to stay out of sight, he rushed east. There was only one thing that could salvage the situation. The vicar would have left it either in his home or in the main chapel. Luckily, the two buildings were connected, but he would still need to search.

He had to pray he could find it in time. No, praying wouldn't help him now. Taking in Lilith had already gone against the church's teachings. Even now Gregor was choosing his daughter over his God. The Lord would spare him no sympathy.

Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

As Gregor approached the chapel he caught site of Mileena, the vicar's wife, wandering the dark streets. She appeared to be searching for something. Whatever it was, he needed to be sure it wasn't him she found. He moved to hide but his luck wavered.

"Gregor!" Her words carried a chill stronger than the winter air. She had spotted him. Now he would need to slow down, to act normal. It would cost him time, time that Lilith didn't have. As Mileena ran toward him he moved to meet her halfway. Approaching he noticed the woman looked wracked by grief. Her hair was disheveled and tears soaked her face. "Gregor, What should I do? The bell is ringing and I can't find Joshua anywhere. Has the beast come back? Please, help me find my son."

Gregor gently squeezed her upper arms. "Try to calm down." He took an exaggerated breath and held it inviting the woman to mirror him. Mileena sniffled and nodded her head. She followed his lead with ragged staccato breaths but it was a start.

"Everything is going to be okay. Joshua is in the square."

"Really?" she squeaked out.

"Yes, now hurry over."

The woman broke from his grip and started toward the square. He would be free to search the house without interruption now. With luck, it would save him more time than he lost to the conversation. He turned to leave but couldn't force himself forward. The injured men were still heading into town expecting help to meet them halfway. He was supposed to be buying them minutes. But now he had to decide; would they be his minutes or theirs?

"Mileena!"

The woman turned back to him. Gregor balled his hands into tight fists. The words caught in his throat and he had to spit them up. "There's a group of injured men coming in through the farmland. Edwin is one of them."

"What happened to Edwin?!"

"The details don't matter. Make sure the doctor goes to meet them. When you reach the square there's going to be a lot happening. But please, don't forget."

"A lot? What's happening?"

"Just hurry, time is short."

Gregor turned and waited. Once he heard Mileena's footsteps retreating across cobblestone he sprinted off toward the chapel at full speed. Whoever they sent to meet the injured men would surely tell Andor what was happening in town. Gregor had cut his already short time down by several minutes. Those minutes could save the men, but they could also doom Lilith. Life and death balanced on the hands of a clock. By the time he had reached the chapel he still didn't know if he had made the right choice.

He could decide later. For now, there was work to do.

Gregor pushed against the heavy doors that guarded the chapel. He shuddered at the dark and cold. He remembered sabbath mornings when the church was bright and loud. The congregation filling the building with life. But there was no life here now. The room was dead, and he was alone in it. Just him and the God he betrayed.

Gregor moved forward trying to push the thoughts from his head. He needed to focus on his search. Two competing strategies fought for his execution. If he tore the building to shreds he might find what he needed a minute or two faster. On the other hand, if he left everything as it was they might not notice he had taken anything at all. It could let Lilith travel further before they figured out where to look.

Gregor started in the small back room Vicar Edwin used as an office. He riffled through papers atop the small oak desk, careful to return everything to its rightful place. Again, mounting doubt clawed at his thoughts. This was the wrong decision, that was the wrong decision. He just didn't know. Even the smallest of his actions could be the one that pulls the blade across his daughter's throat.

Now's not the time for this.

Gregor moved to the drawers, searching them one by one. When he came up short he slammed his fist down on the oak. He would need to search the home. It could be anywhere: set on the kitchen table, at the bedside, atop the mantle.

"Dammit."

Gregor rushed back out into the sanctuary. He scanned the room looking for the door that connected the vicar's home to the church. It was only by chance his eyes caught on the pulpit, Vicar Edwin's bible sat neatly atop it. Closed but with a page saved with a makeshift bookmark. A plain white envelope. Gregor flipped open the book and lifted the envelope with a shaking hand. He pulled it open and peered inside.

Two boat tickets to Eden.

Gregor's heart swelled. There was still a chance. The church had bought the tickets to send the hired hunters back home. Instead, he would take his daughter and start a new life. He could save her.

Gregor glanced down at the bible, to the open page the tickets had marked. The words jumped out at him.

"13 And likewise I tell you that all you have was given unto you by the grace of God. 14 All that is yours is his. 15 If it is found that a man has stolen from you then you must not forgive him, for that man has stolen from God also. 16 You are to bring the man before the church and he is to be slaughtered like a beast. 17 For in his transgression, he is no longer a child of the Lord but a conspirator of the Adversary."

Gregor tucked the tickets into the inner pocket of his jacket and left.